Composite garment



Aug. 6, 1935. J. v. HOLLAR COMPOSITE GARMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1935INVENTOR 70372 Maw;

a I ATTORNEY Patented Aug. A 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-COMPOSITE GARIVIENT John Hollar, East Orange, N. J., assignor to VogueMfg. 00., Newark, N. J, a corporation of New Jersey Application January16, 1935, Serial No 2,031

Claims.

6 and girdle provided with novel means for connecting the same togetherto furnish a one-piece effect in use.

This invention has for its principal object to provide a composite undergarment for women of the kind mentioned wherein the brassiere and girdleelements are provided with novel cooperative disconnectible connectingmeans, whereby these elements are so connected together as to provide ineffect a unitary foundation garment adapted to assure to the wearer asmooth figure line, without unsightly bulges or gaping, and at the sametime providing the superior figure control, molding effect andflexibility of separate garment units.

Another object of this invention is to improve the form and arrangementof the connecting means for joining the garment units together, wherebyall fastening elements are entirely eliminated from the interiorsurfaces of the garment, thus removing all risk of discomfort orpossible injury to the body of the wearer, and whereby the connectingmeans, although disposed in connection with exterior surfaces of thegarment, are nevertheless substantially concealed; are main- 30 tainedsmoothly flatlying to the garment surfaces; and are so combined withnovel holding and control means therefor that close non-bulging andnon-gaping of the brassiere bottom 'relative to the underlying girdletop is assured, while at the same time a very attractive, neat andpleasing appearance of the composite garment as a whole is attained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form andarrangement of garment unit 40 connecting or coupling means which iseasily and conveniently manipulatable, either when the garment isremoved from or worn upon the person of the wearer; and consequentlyeasily permitting detachment and interchanging of the brassiere unitwithout necessitating removal, wholly or partially, of the girdle unitfrom the body of the wearer.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be understood from the following detailed descriptionof the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:--

Fig. 1 is a front face view or elevation of the novel compositefoundation garment according to this invention; and Fig. 2 is a rearface view or elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary face view showing the novel separableconnecting means for joining the garment units together; and Fig. 4 is 5a longitudinal vertical section, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above describedviews, to indicate corresponding parts.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the composite garmentcomprises a lower garment unit 5 in the form of a girdle and an uppergarment unit 6 in the form of a brassiere. The girdle unit '5 maycomprise, in general structure, any 16 suitable design, e. g. either ina continuous tubular band or in the form of a discontinuous band,

i. e. one adapted to open along a longitudinal line; and the bodythereof may be made wholly of elastic fabric, or it may comprise acombination of 20 non-elastic sections or panels 1 and elastic panels orsections 8 as shown in the drawing. The brassire unit 6 may comprise anydesired design, and

is preferably designed to open along one side, as

e. g. at 6 (see Fig. 6). The brassiere unit may be 25 made of anysuitable material. The body of the brassire is provided with the usualshoulder straps 9, connected by their respective ends to the front andback upper margins of the brassiere body. When the garment units arecombined, the lower marginal portion In of the brassiere unit 6 overlapsor overlies the upper marginal portion l l of the girdle unit 5.

Applied to the exterior surfaces of the girdle unit 5, to extend,downwardly from the upper .315 margin thereof, are a plurality oflaterally spaced placket pieces I! of any suitable marginal design oroutline shape, the same being secured by their marginal portions to thegirdle unit body by stitching i3. These placket pieces I! may be locatedat any desired points around the top of the girdle unit, but preferablythere are at least two thereof respectively laterally and outwardlyspaced upon the garment front relative to the longitudinal centerthereof, and, likewise, at least 46 two thereof respectively laterallyand outwardly spaced upon the garment back relative to the longitudinalcenter thereof. Each placket piece l2, as thus applied and secured to anexterior upper portion of the girdle unit body, forms in con- 50junction with the latter an intermediate tunnel 4 or passage H. Eachsaid placket piece is provided with an upper or entrance opening I!leading into the tunnel or passage I4, and spaced downwardly therefrom alower or exit opening ll 56 emerging from the tunnel or passage It.Connected with the placket piece in downwardly spaced relation to saidlower or exit opening it is a female fastener element Ill, which may beof any suitable type or kind, but which is preferably in the form of aperforate eyelet aflixed to the material of the placket piece andproviding an opening l8 therethrough.

Suitably aifixed to or anchored in connection with the lower marginalportion I of the brassiere unit 6 are a plurality of dependent connectorstraps or tapes I9, the same corresponding in number and relativepositions to the number and positions of the placket pieces l2 withwhich the girdle unit 5 is provided. These tapes are preferably made ofelastic webbing so as to be capable of more or less longitudinal elasticgive and take. Secured to the lower free end of each strap or tape l 9is a male fastener element 20, which may be of any type or kind suitablefor cooperation with the particular type or kind of female fastenerelement H with which the placket pieces are provided, but which ispreferably in the form of a hook device having a loop 2! or other formof body portion by which it is secured to the free end of a strap ortape 119. As illustrated in the drawing, it is of advantage to form thestraps or tapes l9 of a length of material doubled on itself, with thedoubled end at its free extremity. In such case, the loop body 2! of thehook-like male fastener element 20 is engaged in the bight 22 of thedoubled free end of the strap or tape IS, a rivet 23 being preferablysecured through this portion and the loop body 2! to preventdisplacement or shifting movement of the male fastener element relativeto the strap or tape end. The doubled strap or tape not only produces astronger yieldable coupling element, but also sufficiently stiffens thestrap or tape to render insertion of the same through a tunnel orpassage M easily accomplished, and consequently facilitates themanipulation of the garment unit connecting devices when joining onegarment unit to the other.

When the brassire unit 6 is assembled relative to the girdle unit 5, thelower marginal portion of the former overlaps upon the exterior surfaceof the upper marginal portion of the latter, and the connector straps ortapes E9 of the one will be vertically aligned and opposed to theplacket pieces l2 of the other. When the garment units are thusdisposed, each strap or tape is is operatively related to acorresponding placket piece H, by inserting its free end inwardlythrough the upper or entrance opening it of the latter, thereuponpassing the strap 'or tape downwardly through the tunnel or passage it,and thence projecting its free end portion and the male fastener elementcarried thereby outwardly through the lower or exit opening W of theplacket piece. When the strap or tape is thus disposed relative to theplacket piece, the bill of the hook of the male fastener element 20 isengaged through the eyelet opening l8 of the female fastener elementI'I, thereby anchoring the free end of the strap or tape to the placketpiece l2 and against accidental withdrawal from the tunnel or passage Mformed thereby, thus securely uniting the garment units in the joinedrelation adapted to form the complete composite garment. The length ofthe straps or tapes is such, that when engaged with the placket piecesin the manner described, the lower margins of the brassiere unit 6 willbe drawn downwardly and inwardly in close hugging relation to the upperportion of the girdle unit overlapped thereby, and will thus be heldclosely and snugly to the latter, without the formation of figure linemarring wrinkles or bulges, and without tendency to gaping, while, atthe same time, when the straps or tapes are made of elastic material, adegree of longitudinal elastic give and take is provided to permit of ayielding play between the garment units, when on the body of the wearer,to easily and comfortably accommodate themselves to body movements,especially bending movements, without undue relative displacement orpermanent dislocation from their operatively joined relations, andconsequently the smooth figure molding lines of the composite garmentare retained under varying conditions.

It will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 4 of the drawing moreespecially, that the novel arrangement and construction of the garmentunit connecting means is such, that no parts thereof are located orexposed upon theinterior sides or surfaces of the girdle unit, which arethus free from projections, knobby protuberances, or hard elementslikely to cause bodily discomfort to the wearer, or to injure either theline texture of underlying garments or abrade the skin of the wearer'sbody. Not only are these advantages assured, but additionally the noveltunneled placket pieces substantially conceal the straps or tapes, andprovide a very neat and attractive exterior appearance of the compositegarment, while at the same time serve to prevent outward displacement ofthe tapes or straps or the brassiere unit body to which they areanchored.

It will be apparent that by detaching the hooklike male fastenerelements 20 from the female fastener elements ll, the straps or tapesare freed so that the same may be outwardly and upwardly withdrawn fromthe tunnels or passages formed by the placket pieces, and consequentlythe brassiere unit 6 may be quickly and easily detached from the girdlefor laundering or other purposes. Such detachment may be readilyaccomplished either while the girdle unit 5 is on the body of thewearer, or when removed therefrom, as the case may be.

It will be understood that many apparently widely different embodimentsof this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereofas defined in the following claims; it is therefore intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. A composite garment comprising a girdle unit and a brassiere unit,and means for separably connecting said units to form in effect an allin one foundation garment, said connecting means being spaced around themeeting portions of said garment units, and each connecting meanscomprising a placket piece applied to the exterior surface of the girdleunit to provide an intermediate tunnel having an upper entrance openingand a lower exit opening in aligned relation, and a strap anchored toand dependent from the brassiere unit, said strap being adapted to entersaid upper entrance opening to pass through said tunnel with its freeend projecting outwardly from said exit opening, and cooperative maleand female fastener means respectively provided at the free end of saidstrap and in connection with said placket piece below said exit openingthereof.

2. A composite garment comprising a girdle unit and a brassiere unit,and means for separably connecting said units to form in effect an allin one foundation garment, said connecting means being spaced around themeeting portions of said garment units, and each connecting meanscomprising a placket piece applied to the exterior surface of the girdleunit to provide an intermediate tunnel having an upper entrance openingand a lower exit opening in aligned relation, and a strap anchored toand dependent from the brassiere unit, said strap being adapted to entersaid upper entrance opening to pass through said tunnel with its freeend projecting outwardly from said exit opening, a fastener eyeletprovided in the body of said placket piece below the tunnel exit openingthereof, and a fastener hook connected with the free end of said strapfor separable coupled engagement with said fastener eyelet.

3. A composite garment comprising a girdle unit and a brassire unit, andmeans for separably connecting said units to form in effect an all inone foundation garment, said connecting means being spaced around themeeting portions of said garment units, and each connecting meanscomprising a placket piece applied to the exterior surface of the girdleto provide an intermediate substantially vertical tunnel therebetween,said placket piece having toward its upper end an entrance openingleading into said timnel, said placket piece having toward its lower endan exit opening leading out of said tunnel, an elastic strap anchored toand dependent from the lower marginal portion of said brassiere unit,said strap being adapted to be passed inwardly through said entranceopening and thence through said tunnel to emerge from said exit openingand cooperative male and female fastener means respectively provided atthe free end of said strap and in connection with said placket piecebelow said exit thereof.

4. A composite garment comprising a girdle unit and a brassiere unit,and means for separably connecting said units to form in eifect an allin one foundation garment, said connecting means being spaced around themeeting portions of said garment units, and each connecting meanscomprising a placket piece applied to the exterior surface of the girdleto provide an intermediate substantially vertical tunnel therebetween,said placquet piece having toward its upper end an entrance openingleading into said tunnel, said placquet piece having toward its lowerend an exit opening leading out of said tunnel, an elastic strapanchored to and dependent from the lower marginal portion of saidbrassiere unit, said strap being adapted to be passed inwardly throughsaid entrance opening and thence through said tunnel to emerge from saidexit opening, a fastener eyelet provided in the body of said placketpiece below the tunnel exit opening thereof, and a fastener hookconnected with the free end portion of said strap for separable coupledengagement with said fastener eyelet.

5. Means for coupling garment units in a composite arrangement thereof,comprising a placket piece secured over an exterior surface of onegarment unit to provide an intermediate tunnel therebetween, saidplacket piece having an entrance opening leading into said tunnel, saidplacket piece having an exit opening leading out of said tunnel, adouble elastic strap secured to and extending from the other garmentunit with its doubling fold at its free end, said strap being adapted tobe passed inwardly through said entrance opening and thence through saidtunnel to emerge from said exit opening, an exposed fastener eyeletprovided in the body of said placket piece below and adjacent to thetunnel exit opening thereof, and a fastener hook having its attachmentloop secured in the bight of said folded strap end, said hook beingadapted for separable coupled engagement with said fastener eyelet.

JOHN v. 110mm.

